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EAC432/THR432 (#6874/#6905): Readings in Chinese Drama
Spring 2017
Tu & Th 2:45-4:05
PC-355
Instructor: Dr. Fan Pen Chen
Office: Humanities 246
Office Hours: Tu & Th 4:15-5:15; and by appointment
Phone: 518-442-2600
E-mail: [email protected]
Objectives of the course:
The goal of this course is to gain an appreciation for traditional Chinese theatre
through a close reading of selected plays in translation. After some introductory lectures
on the history and aesthetics of the Chinese theatre, this course will concentrate on
reading and discussing pieces of Yuan Zaju Drama, Ming Chuanqi Drama,
Peking/Beijing Opera, and Chinese Shadow Plays. Knowledge of the Chinese language is
not necessary. Prerequisites: Any 200 level course from either the Department of East
Asian Studies (other than 200 level language courses) or the Theater Department; or
permission from the instructor.
Texts:
Birch, Cyril tr., The Peony Pavilion. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2002
(for The Peony Pavilion; required).
See the Blackboard Learning System for the Yuan zaju plays, “Introduction to
Yuan Plays,” “The Soul of Ch’ien-nü Leaves Her Body” and “The Injustice
Done to Tou Ngo”; the shadow play, “The Yellow River Magic Formation”;
and the Peking/Beijing Opera, “Hegemon King Says Farewell to his Queen”;
and the shadow plays from Visions for the Masses – “Henpecked Zhang San”
and “Rotten-kid Dong Sells His Ma.” (You are responsible for printing all of
these out).
Class format:
Aside from introductory lectures on the history and aesthetics of Chinese theatre, the
class will read and discuss assigned plays. Preparation and class participation are
important parts of the course. Students are required to bring 5 questions to class on each
of the readings.
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Grading:
The final grade will consist of Midterm Short Papers (25%), Final Short Papers (25%),
class attendance, preparation (including preparing questions), and participation in class
discussions (30%), and a presentation (20%). This course is A-E graded. Numerical
scores will be converted to course grades according to the following scale: 93-100%=A;
90-92%=A-; 87-89%=B+; 83-86%=B; 80-82%=B-; 77-79%=C+; 73-76%=C; 7072%=C-; 67-69%=D+; 63-66%=D; 60-62%=D-; 0-59%=E.
Presentation:
The aims of the presentation are both creative and analytical. Students will work in
small groups to recreate a traditional Chinese play for the modern audience. The students
doing the presentation will first describe the original play and then tell the class what
they’ve decided to keep and why (the universality of the theme; the exotic flavor of
certain aspects of the original rendered; humor; depth of feeling; interest; etc.), and what
they’ve decided to change and why (incongruence with modern sensibilities or tastes;
improvement on the way the original playwright developed the theme; length; etc.). The
students will then perform the rewritten play. Aside from performing together, the
students are required to hand in a note indicating which students were responsible for
which aspects of their presentation. The presentation should be 20-30 minutes long.
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CLASS SCHEDULE
DATE
1/24 (Tu)
1/26 (Th)
1/31 (Tu)
2/2 (Th)
2/7 (Tu)
2/9 (Th)
2/14 (Tu)
2/16 (Th)
2/21 (Tu)
2/23 (Th)
2/28 (Tu)
3/2 (Th)
3/7 (Tu)
3/9 (Th)
3/14 (Tu)
3/16 (Th)
3/21 (Tu)
3/23 (Th)
3/28 (Tu)
3/30 (Th)
4/4 (Tu)
TOPIC
Course introduction
History of Chinese drama
Aesthetics of Chinese drama
Yuan Drama: “The Soul of
Ch’ien-nü (Qiannü) Leaves Her
Body”
Yuan Drama: “The Soul of
Ch’ien-nü Leaves Her Body”
TBA
Yuan Drama: “The Injustice Done
to Tou Ngo (Dou E)”
Yuan Drama: “The Injustice Done
to Tou Ngo”
Intro to Chinese shadow theatre
Shadow Play: “The Yellow River
Magic Formation”
Shadow Play: “The Yellow River
Magic Formation”
Beijing Opera: “Hegemon King
Says Farewell to His Queen”
Beijing Opera: “Hegemon King
Says Farewell to His Queen”
Group meeting for presentation
NO CLASS
NO CLASS
Midterm Short Papers due.
Intro to The Peony Pavilion
Ming Ch’uan-ch’i (Chuanqi): The
Peony Pavilion
Ming Ch’uan-ch’i (Chuanqi): The
Peony Pavilion
Ming Ch’uan-ch’i (Chuanqi): The
Peony Pavilion
Ming Ch’uan-ch’i (Chuanqi): The
Peony Pavilion
ASSIGNMENT
Intro to Yuan Drama (BLS)
Wedge-Act IV (BLS)
Continued
Wedge-Act IV (BLS)
Continued
Intro and Scenes I-XI (BLS)
Continued
Scenes I-IX (BLS)
Continued
Sc.1-7 (Sc.l; Sc.3; Sc.7) (Book)
Sc.8-10 (Sc.10)
Sc.11-20 (Sc.12; Sc.17)
Sc.21-24 (Sc. 23; Sc.24))
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4/6 (Th)
4/11 (Tu)
4/13 (Th)
4/18 (Tu)
4/20 (Th)
4/25 (Tu)
4/27 (Th)
5/2 (Tu)
5/4 (Th)
5/9 (Tu)
Ming Ch’uan-ch’i (Chuanqi): The
Peony Pavilion
NO CLASS
Ming Ch’uan-ch’i (Chuanqi): The
Peony Pavilion
Ming Ch’uan-ch’i (Chuanqi): The
Peony Pavilion
Ming Ch’uan-ch’i (Chuanqi): The
Peony Pavilion
Ming Ch’uan-ch’i (Chuanqi): The
Peony Pavilion
Ming Ch’uan-ch’i (Chuanqi): The
Peony Pavilion
Shadow Plays: “Henpecked Zhang
San” and “Rotten-kid Dong Sells
His Ma”
Presentations
Presentations
Sc.25-32 (Sc.28; Sc.32)
Sc.33-36 (Sc.35; Sc.36)
Sc. 37-44 (Sc.38; Sc.41; Sc.44)
Sc.45-48 (Sc.47; Sc.48)
Sc.49-53 (Sc.52; Sc.53)
Sc.54-55 (Sc.54; Sc.55)
Pp.25-33 (BLS); Pp.34-45 (BLS)
The Final Short Papers are due May 16. Please slip them under my
office door (Hu-246) if I’m not there. Happy summer!